There has been a sublime effort from the boys over the last couple of months, with games being played every weekend for the last 10.
There was also a midweek encounter with Devonport Services chucked in there too so the squad has very much earned a rest, but there is one hurdle to leap over before attention switches to the autumn rest.
Game week seven brings us to one of our closest away trips of the season, Gloucestershire, as we get set to take on Cinderford in National League 1.
Cinderford sit 11th in the table after six games of what has thus far been a tremendously closely contested Nat 1 campaign.
This weekend’s hosts have taken victory in three of their encounters, but have lost both of their last two at the hands of impressive Chinnor and Blackheath.
So undulating can be the form in this division though that continued defeats can never be guaranteed, and neither can the contrary. Despite having won five on the bounce, Ryan Lamb’s side head into Saturday’s game at Dockham Road fully aware of the need for a good performance to take the win from a tricky away day.
With the wind in our sails though, and a strong belief among a superb squad, optimism is flowing throughout the club at the moment heading into every fixture.
Last Season’s Meetings:
We tasted defeat to a strong Cinderford performance last season as they ran out 41-28 winners in a back-and-forth game, but we claimed a 17-10 win in the reverse fixture at the start of 2023.
Team News:
Dan Pullinger makes his way to Loosehead Prop as Ramaz Rukhadze heads to the replacement pool, while Jenson Boughton is back in the starting line-up at Tighthead. Harry Wilkinson retains his place at Hooker in the absence of Tom Cowan-Dickie due to injury.
Dan Collier makes his way back into the second row having come off the bench in last weekend’s win over Sale, while knocks for Torin Clarke and Brad Howe keep them out of this one; Jake Bond replaces the former on the flank.
The backs are mostly unchanged from last Saturday with one exception – Tom Putt returns to the starting 15 at Full-Back, with Craig Duncan missing out through injury.
Gabe Mead returns to the bench following a shoulder problem, while Jack Wickham is poised to make his first appearance for the club off the bench having been ruled out with a hand injury since the end of the pre-season.
The Team in Full
1 Dan Pullinger
2 Harry Wilkinson
3 Jenson Boughton
4 Dan Collier
5 Hallam Chapman
6 Angus Hodges
7 Jake Bond
8 Sam Daly
9 Jack Oulton ©
10 Phil Jones
11 Pita Ratukadreu
12 Archie Hill
13 Jesse Lowe
14 Seta Raumakita
15 Tom Putt
Replacements:
16. Gabe Mead
17. Ramaz Rukhadze
18. Jack Wickham
19. Morgan Stone
20. Connor Eastgate
